A baby that gained fame on The Jerry Springer Show for weighing 70lb at two years old has shared what he looks like now.
Zach Strenkert captured attention on television shows like Jerry Springer and Oprah when he was an infant, per News.com.au.
Strenkert’s rapid growth puzzled his family, who sought help from medical experts through media appearances.
“He’s not a big eater. That’s one of the most frequently asked questions,” his mother, Laurie, said during his appearance on Jerry Springer. “And that is also why we’re so concerned. Where is the growing coming from?”
These appearances eventually connected Strenkert with a geneticist, who diagnosed him with Simpson-Golabi-Behmel Syndrome, a rare condition predominantly affecting males.
It is characterized by pre and post-natal overgrowth, congenital malformations, and increased tumor risks.
Reflecting on his childhood, Strenkert said the media exposure set him apart.
“Nowadays, people ask me what it was like. They assume my mum was chasing fame or money, but that wasn’t the case. We just wanted help with geneticists, which wasn’t easy to come by with our insurance,” he told The Mirror.
Despite the challenges, Strenkert credits Jerry Springer with changing his life by helping his family get the answers they needed.
The talk show host continued to show care, even after the cameras stopped rolling. “He genuinely cared,” Strenkert said in an interview with Daily Mail, ahead of the release of the Netflix documentary Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action.
Strenkert returned to Jerry Springer in 2017 to thank the late host, who passed away in 2023, for his support.
In recent years, Strenkert has faced a unique set of challenges stemming from his condition. At the start of the pandemic, his weight reached nearly 500 pounds.
“I became very sedentary as a result of my condition and various associated physical and mental illnesses, and focused on related activities such as gaming to which I became quite good,” he explained in a Reddit post.
However, an obsessive-compulsive approach to fitness later pushed him to the brink of anorexia. Reflecting on his journey, he said: “Nowadays I do not track and am okay pushing myself, making more good decisions than bad. I still feel like I am 500lb – the pain and limitations I face – but my mind feels more free than ever and for that I will be forever grateful.”
By December 2023, Strenkert shared a breakthrough after starting strength training at a gym. He revealed his doctor was “really impressed” with his progress. “Told me I look better than both being extremely heavy and skinny,” he said.
Strenkert credits his syndrome for promoting muscle growth. “I’ve only been going to a commercial gym since December LOL. I’m excited to keep transforming, I love lifting,” he said.
By October 2024, Strenkert reached 361 pounds, marking a dramatic transformation.
“Last time I was 361lbs I looked very different! Come a very long way to get here,” he wrote, adding that he “never thought” he’d see his obliques and abs.
